When you go up the central stairs to the 7th floor and take a right turn, one room exists that most don’t give a second glance to. 7141. Inside of it, 10 to 20 students type away endlessly on their laptops, striving to finish as many tasks in the 90-minute period they are given. When the majority of people think about those who take their classes online, they typically picture someone sitting on the comfort of their bed, typing away with what seems to be an endless number of assignments, quizzes, and projects presented in front of them. These circumstances are often not as frequently encountered by those who take their class or classes in person. The platform behind it all is Atlanta Virtual Academy, or as most people know it as, AVA.
Filling in for a class that has no planning period is not an easy task. With only a 30-minute break during lunch, making each second count is of the essence. The one behind monitoring the students and ensuring they are on task is Mike Wells. As a retiree from a finance company, he came to North Atlanta High School to work alongside his daughter Kayla Wells, who is the head coach of the men’s basketball team. Although this position is new to him, he wants to create a learning environment where everyone is engaged and not afraid to ask questions about the subject they’re taking. “I do enjoy when I can help a student, that’s a joy,” Wells said.
When junior Emory Clay signed up for AP Comparative Government this year, she did not realize that it would only be one semester, leaving her with another class that she needed to fill into her schedule. After much consideration, she came to the conclusion that taking health for one semester was the ideal choice. One difference that she points out about this class in comparison to others that have is that it mixes all grade levels, often leaving students with not that many people they are familiar with. As an IB-DP student, her schedule is filled with non-stop assignments coming her way. So, the remainder of the time she has in the class is a perfect opportunity to get some of these tasks off her shoulders. “There are limited distractions, so I’m able to use my time efficiently,” Clay said.
With AVA offering both initial and recovery credit during the school day, junior Christiana Duncan is able to currently take Algebra 1 again to prevent her from falling behind. While she initially had the intention to take this class during the summer, she ultimately came to the conclusion that it would be best to have it take place during the school year to be more motivated and driven to pass with flying colors. For people in similar circumstances as her, she highly recommends it as she believes it causes students to have less work at home and become more independent. “I constantly set goals for myself and find myself achieving them more often now,” Duncan said.
With this feedback so far, AVA is heading in the right direction as an alternative that numerous students prefer. So whether it’s having a class with a teacher present or on a computer, North Atlanta High School offers options for everyone to find a place to learn.
